Ticker tape displays in which information scrolls horizontally across a computer display screen are common. When a user sees a headline of interest, he moves a pointer to the headline and `clicks` to retrieve a news story associated with the headline. Advertisers also use the ticker tape display to scroll advertising teasers which when `clicked` will retrieve more information related to an advertised product. The advantages of the ticker display are that they attract the eye of the user, and they use only a narrow horizontal strip of the computer graphics display monitor and can be placed out of the way near the top or bottom of the screen. The disadvantages of the moving ticker tape display are that the moving information is distracting, and it is difficult for the eye to follow moving textual information. As a result such displays increase user stress and fatigue.
Displays which present information on the revolving sides of an elongated polygon are known. The technique was developed before the advent of motion pictures and television, and has been used in both of these media. But the revolving elongated polygon display has not been used to present headline type information in the manner of the ticker tape display. The inherent superiority of the revolving elongated polygon over the ticker tape scrolling display has not previously been appreciated with respect to user stress and fatigue factors.
What is needed is an improved display method for presenting headline type information to a user, a method which will relieve user stress.